The Quality of Life
' |image= |series= |production= 40276-235 |producer(s)= |story= |script= Naren Shankar |director= Jonathan Frakes |imdbref=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708820tt0708820 |guests=Ellen Bry as Farallon, J. Downing as Kelso |previous_production=A Fistful of Datas |next_production=Chain of Command Part 1 |episode=TNG S06E09 |airdate= 16 November 1992 |previous_release=A Fistful of Datas |next_release=Chain of Command Part 1 |story_date(s)=Stardate 46307.2 |previous_story=A Fistful of Datas |next_story=Chain of Command Part 1 }} =Summary= The Enterprise arrives at Tyrus 7A to oversee a fledgling mining technology, a "particle fountain", engineered by Dr. Farallon. While on the planet, the crew observe the use of small machines called Exocomps that Dr. Farallon claims can analyze a problem, replicate the correct tool to repair it, and "learn" this for future situations. During a test, one Exocomp refuses to enter a tunnel; moments later a confined explosion occurs within the tunnel. Dr. Farallon, Lt. Commander Data, and Lt. La Forge investigate the Exocomp, finding several more new electronic pathways in its circuits than they expected. Dr. Farallon, having encountered this before, would normally erase the unit's memory, but Data suggests that the unit may have exhibited self-preservation behavior and wishes to examine it further. Data asserts that if this is true, the Exocomps should no longer be used on the particle fountain, but Dr. Farallon dismisses his claims, and says that any delay will ruin the years of work she has put into the project already. Data tests the Exocomp aboard the Enterprise, instructing it to repair a malfunction in a Jeffries tubes, though having jury-rigged a false alarm that would alert the Exocomp to danger. To his disappointment, the Exocomp continues to repair the malfunction through the alarm. However, when Data investigates the unit, he finds that it has repaired not only the malfunction but his false alarm, having sensed it was not in any danger from the test. Data concludes the Exocomps possess self-preservation and are sentient. While Picard and other Enterprise crew are visiting the fountain, a malfunction occurs, threatening to release massive doses of radiation. All but Picard and La Forge are beamed to the Enterprise before the radiation blocks any further attempts. Riker and Dr. Farallon arrange to have the Exocomps beamed into the facility to shield Picard and La Forge long enough to beam them out at the cost of destroying the Exocomps, but Data has locked out the transporter controllers, claiming the machines are sentient. After some negotiating, Data allows the Exocomps to be used but only if they chose to go. The Exocomps show their intent to proceed, and are beamed to the fountain. The units configure themselves that not only allow Picard and La Forge to be rescued, but for all but one of the Exocomps to return to the Enterprise, the last one sacrificing itself for this purpose. As the damage to the fountain is repaired, Dr. Farallan admits she is still not sure if the Exocomps are sentient but promises not to abuse them again. Data explains to Picard that he had to stand up for the Exocomps, just as Picard had stood up for him when his own sentience was questioned. Picard acknowledges that Data's actions were probably the most human thing he has ever done. =Errors and Explanations= Nit Central # J.J. on Tuesday, August 14, 2001 - 10:00 am: Does it strike anybody else as odd that Starfleet, investigating a new mining technique, would send the Enterpise to evaluate it? Wouldn't it make more sense to send mining engineers and mining experts to do that? I know Geordi is a hotshot engineer, but still........ And Starfleet is going to do whatever Captain Picard, whose subspecialty is archeology not mining, suggests? It didn't make much sense to me. Is this "boldly going where no one has gone before"? It seems more like a bureaucratic mission to me, especially since they didn't even know the Exocomps existed when they first went. Enterprise is the UFP Flagship, crewed by the best in Starfleet. # Brendan ODonnell on Tuesday, March 12, 2002 - 11:08 pm: No one has been here in awhile... but I have to make this point. I don't know if it has ever been addressed. I had a few beers, and caught this episode on my Tivo... I remembered it of course... cool episode. BUT, when Data is examining the ExoComp in his quarters, the computer says the thing "burnt linkage" at 11:50 and "repaired itself" at 13:40... Data then says "2 hours yada yada"... 2 hours!?!? How does 110 minutes become 2 hours to the android who has been scolded for rounding time to the SECOND! I just had to vent somewhere. THANKS! He is rounding up, possibly as part of his efforts to become human. # Keith Alan Morgan (Kmorgan) on Sunday, May 12, 2002 - 4:30 am: I fail to see why mining from space is a better alternative to ground mining. Why not just use the transporter to beam up the ore, then materialize only the pure substance, sending the rest back? The transporters may not be able to seperate the pure substance from the other material. # So were the designers of this station just arrogant or ignorant? Didn't they even consider the possibility that they may need to repair that power conduit, before they decided to surround it with four bulkheads? Perhaps it was designed to be easily replaced. # The computer is analyzing the exocomp's records and tells Data that the exocomp intentionally burned out the interface, then triggered a self-repair, but then tells Data that it doesn't know why the exocomp burned out the interface. However, the exocomp had to, one, analyze the situation (The microfissure in the plasma tube is about to explode), two, decide on a course of action (Get the hell out of there!), and three, take an action which would prevent it being placed back into the dangerous situation (Burn out the interface so it can't be commanded to go back into the tube). All of which should have been in the exocomp's memory that the ship's computer could have, and should have, read. That part of the record may be missing. =Sources= Category:Episodes Category:The Next Generation